During the course of the meal, Simon berates this intrusive woman for her lifestyle and questions Jesus’ judgment for engaging her at all. Simon’s story illustrates that it’s easier to focus on someone else’s brokenness. His actions underscore a false piety intended to conceal his own brokenness. If I am to read this story honestly, I have to wrestle with all of the ways in which I am both this sinful woman—and this (falsely) righteous man.
An Invitation to the Unrighteous
The place to begin is with a woman knocking on a door. She has come because she has been invited. Admittedly, this invitation has taken place somewhere outside the realm of the story and of what we can see as readers. Nevertheless, we know she has been invited because Jesus says elsewhere: “No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me…” (Jn.6:44a NRSV)